Woj: Harden Opting into $35.6M Player Option and Demanding Trade from Philly; Wants to Play for the Clippers

[Charlesareed]

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Woj also reporting Clippers or Suns.

Makes since from a Philly stand point they just need to find a pg this run the 2nd unit they’d be improved

[Blazing_royale]

Talk about commitment issues

[Wammy Giveaway]

So here's a franchise that is on their last chance to win a championship before moving to the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA. Leonard and George's contracts end simultaneously with the Clipper's move. The 213 Dynamic Duo era has been rife with collapses, confusion and conflicts of interest.

1. The worst 3-1 collapse in NBA history (yes, I'm ignoring the Warriors because they made up for it the year after with the Fantastic 4).

2. Their first conference finals berth forced upon by the fear of being down 3-0 in every playoff series, only to be defeated by their former savior Chris Paul (who is now a Warrior and on a free ride).

3. Failure to find a complementary point guard because they wanted to prove to Chris Paul they can win without him after having betrayed the Clippers by hitching a ride to Houston (only to realize Paul was one in a million, should have not taken him for granted, and wanted him back desperately).

Wanting to be loved, respected and worshiped like Lakers will make Clippers do reckless things. Like trading for a superstar to bring him back home. A Harden trade feels like a "we-give-up" move - if we can't win titles, we'll just fall back to winning the PR battle.

And, if Westbrook were to come back, they'd (finally) have a Fantastic 4. One made up of SoCal natives no less: Leonard for San Diego, George for Palmdale, Westbrook for Long Beach, Harden for Lakewood (hopefully he reps for Hawaiian Gardens as well). One superstar with two Finals MVP and five All-Star visits, one with an MVP and ten, another with an MVP and nine, and one with just eight. 32 All Star selections combined.

Trading for Harden is the hard part. Without a draft pick, let alone one with great value, Clippers will have to resort to a farm trade. At the minimum, they will need to trade at least five players, but it's possible the package goes up to seven, meaning we get a Rockets-Chris Paul redux. Young pieces must be included, wouldn't be surprised if Mann was forced unto the table as a pre-requisite. On the bright side, they'll be able to shed enough salary to get out of the tax zone, but they'll be restricted to offering veteran minimum contracts in order to avoid forfeiting the right to sign players with any sort of contract in the future.

This could be a smart move, a risky move, or a kiss of death. For one thing, Harden, Leonard and George will all come off the books, entering the Intuit Dome with a clean slate of cap space. Risky, as the Clippers franchise is easily gullible and prone to distractions. And a single ejection to either Leonard or George will prematurely end their championship aspirations, turning this once relevant franchise into a liquidation advertisement for Crazy Eddie.

"His prices are INSANE!!!" - Jerry Carroll

[phanman]

James for Powell, Batum, and Roco works in the trade machine. Both teams are desperate to make the move and its a lot of depth to give up for the Clippers but they are getting the best player in return.

I sure as hell wouldn't take back Morris if I'm Philly and Norm steps into that scoring hole left by James. They get to put the ball in Maxey's hands and get two additional wing defenders so they don't have to rely on a 38yo Tucker to play 30mpg every night.

On Houston's front, they get to retool around a new big 3. Harden gets to play the role of regular season hero and do his thing there and then allow Kawhi and PG to hopefully enter the playoffs healthy and do the heavy lifting. A Zubac-Harden PnR would be nasty and it frees up minutes for Mann and Hyland to earn some meaningful rotation minutes.

[ryguy613]

i gotta be honest... i kinda cant wait for this generation of nba stars to just retire. im tired of the yearly marry go round of Harden, Westbrook, CP3, KD, Kyrie. Every year... every... year...

[KodiakBear]

Signing contracts and demanding trades to play on the team you want is the new trend. Consequences of giving too much power to the players

Yeah it is really terrible. I am all for leaving and playing wherever you want in free agency, but the trend of players demanding a trade all the time under contract is garbage and bad for the game.

[BeatDaCavs420]

This guy is a joke, like how is he not embarrassed by this point asking for another trade

[Yank3525]

i gotta be honest... i kinda cant wait for this generation of nba stars to just retire. im tired of the yearly marry go round of Harden, Westbrook, CP3, KD, Kyrie. Every year... every... year...

I agree, but I wouldn't put Russ and CP3 with those guys. They aren't signing deals and then asking out after a year.

[NZB2323]

i gotta be honest... i kinda cant wait for this generation of nba stars to just retire. im tired of the yearly marry go round of Harden, Westbrook, CP3, KD, Kyrie. Every year... every... year...

I don't believe that CP3 has ever demanded a trade or changed teams in free agency.

[robbie84]

This is.. an amazing development for Philly.. Send him to Portland for Scoot and Ant or Scoot and Shaedon and become a much faster, more dynamic team

You think the Blazers are giving up Scoot for 2023 James Harden?
You high bruh?

If Dame wants Harden there, they will.. why else would he not have been dealt yet

There is no chance in hell that the Blazers waste Scoot Henderson on James Fricken Harden dude. Get real.

[collidingNeurons]

it's not the off season till the Harden and Kyrie drama starts, just hoping neither end up on the Suns

[DusterBuster]

Talk about commitment issues

Seriously. Any team trading for him needs to know they have a REALLY short window.

[DusterBuster]

Also, who else is rooting for Harden to goto the Suns, then Irving to decide to sign there for the MLE?

Let’s run back that trio who were the three best friends that anyone could have lmao

[Tempe]

Classic Harden


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[robbie84]

This guy is a joke, like how is he not embarrassed by this point asking for another trade

When you're that rich and that good at basketball your ego is elephant sized. Alot of these guys give a literal two f#*@s about what other people think.
They're above anyone else's criticism like us peasants.

[TorontoBarneys]

Harden to TO as another rental. Dinosaur championship time.

Harden/GTJ/Flynn
OG/Dick
Barnes/OPJ
Siakam/Precious
Poeltl/Boucher/Koloko

Quite legit.

[bstein14]

You'd have to imagine LA or Pho would be most ideal because they are out West. I'm sure Miami or New York would also have interest but I would imagine Philly won't be as happy to trade him East.

[TGW]

Blame Lebron for this shxt. He started this nonsense.

[ryguy613]

i gotta be honest... i kinda cant wait for this generation of nba stars to just retire. im tired of the yearly marry go round of Harden, Westbrook, CP3, KD, Kyrie. Every year... every... year...

I don't believe that CP3 has ever demanded a trade or changed teams in free agency.

Im not sure i can say he straight up demanded a trade but hes obviously pushed multiple teams to trade him, and been successful in doing so. as far as free agency? his move from the clippers to the rockets was essentially just that. He did then what Harden is attempting to do right now.

[Jadoogar]

Signing contracts and demanding trades to play on the team you want is the new trend. Consequences of giving too much power to the players

Does Harden even know what team he wants? This is his third trade demand in like 3 years.